*I am sorry it has taken so long to write, but time goes by so fast! We have jammed schedules here working full time and then having meetings and planned events practically every night*
So it has been almost 4 weeks here in Ocean City Maryland, and I have really gotten to see God work in amazing ways!
When we arrived here it was quite an experience, coming together with 30 other people who don’t know each other and just knowing we are all sharing the same heart to serve God was really awesome but scary!
I live in an apartment with 8 other girls 5 of which are in my room alone, we share one bathroom and have one mirror- It’s something! There are three other apartments in our house where the rest of our project mates live. It’s such an awesome community of people and we have all gotten so close!
I have been blessed with an amazing job at the Dough Roller. It’s a pancake and pizza place on the board walk- where I am a server. I absolutely love it, but will admit it is very busy and chaotic! But it’s been so awesome to get to really build relationships with my co-workers and get to know them and have great bonding in between grabbing our drinks and dropping off our pizzas. J
God also has allowed me to have the opportunity to be on the Outreach team. Within our project there are 5 ministry teams that are used to organize and serve our community best. The outreach’s team plans the events we hold on the beach and such as well as equip people to share our faith. God has really used my heart for people and relational skills. So far we have gotten to have a tug-a-war tournament and do a scavenger hunt. We have also went out with various surveys and gotta great feel for the demographic here. Theres also a place that has free meals for anyone called the Son’s spot where a lot of us have had the opportunity to go and serve. It’s been so awesome to get to share with people here and talk to them about spiritual things. It’s awesome to get to tell people about our lives and it’s been great for me to get to share my personal story and be honest of how for so long I had thought that I had the strength to seriously handle life on my own, but realizing that God has a genuine love for me enough to care and allow me to rely on his strength and truly seek his approval not just others. And though I wish I could claim that since I decided to really accept this idea and live my life for Christ life has been perfect. But the truth is that God gives us hope in life, not perfection for ourselves. For if I truly expect life to be perfect as a “Christian” I am wrong, because it is said to rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4). So through the various events of my life and shortcomings we as humans experience, God has really helped me to understand his love for me and others, and helped me to truly experience that and have a hope that is indescribable. The tag line I have adopted for this summer is “Be transformed”, and by this I have been allowing my heart and mind to be transformed by whatever means God has in store. Obviously I am still traveling this journey and allowing him to speak into my life in so many ways.
I really look forward to what the weeks to come will bring and getting to build stronger relationships here.
Please pray for me that I may continue to have energy and joy even after a long day at work, as well as trusting God fully with everything including raising the rest of my support J
Thank you all! God Bless!
